Clothes hanger



Sept. 1, 1959 SE. STAFFELD CLOTHES HANGER Filed July 9, 1957 24/ 32 30 22 Sfan/ey E. SIaffe/d 2 IN V EN TOR.

WW 3M3 an} a 2,902,173 Patented Sept. 1, 1959 United States Patent Ofiice 2,902,173 CLOTHES HANGER Stanley Staft'eld, Neenah, Wis. Application July 9, 1957, Serial N0. 670,705

-5 Claims. omit-124 The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in a simple and practical clothes-closettype hanger for clothes and garments, the same being expressly, but not necessarily, designed and appropriately adapted to hang up mens trousers. More particularly, a construction has been devised and elfectually worked out in a manner to provide a plurality of individual hangers which are embodied with requisite nicety and compactness and convenience in a single structural entity olfering adequate and systematic suspension facilities for a" plurality of mens trousers.

Briefly summarized, one featured aspect of the overall structural means is characterized by a body having at least one pair of coplanar spaced parallel companion members, the existing slot thus provided between said members being of a width sufficient to permitthe cuffequipped legs of a pair of trousers, for example, to be passed through and located for retentive suspension-in said slot, the opposed and facing edge portions of the members which longitudinally border and define said slot providing first. and second surfaces, the first surface functioning as a stationary cuff hanging jaw, the second surface providing an abutment, a third member coplanar with said first-named members hingedly linked to said body, substantially confined for operative movement in said slot and constituting a relatively movable jaw, the latter being movable against the abutment when the jaws are spaced apart to assume their open positions and being shiftable toward said stationary jaw surface to assume its trousers suspension position. 1

Novelty is also predicated on the combination and arrangement of parts revealed, the third member in the arrangement being of a length greater than the length of the slot in which it is confined for operation. This construction is so that one end portion of the memberprojects beyond the adjacent open end of the slot whereit constantly projects to offer and provide a satisfactory operating handle. Then, too, novelty is predicated on the construction set forth wherein thethird member is of a cross-section appreciably less than the width of the slot, being approximately such that it occupies one-half the slot on one side of the slot when in its open position and sweeps across the other half portion of the slot when it is in its closed position.

Furthermore, novelty has to do with the several members stated wherein corresponding ends of the first two members are joined together by a portion of the body member making it possible to utilize one body member in which a plurality of garment hangers are sensibly and economically incorporated.

Finally, the adoption of simple clevises to function as the assembling and operating links is a highly purposeful aspect of the improvement.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the complete readyto-use, multiple-jaw garment hanger constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the invention as seen in Fig. 1. 1

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken on the approximate plane of the line 33 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

By way of introduction to the description of the details, it is to be pointed out that although the drawing implies that novelty is predicated (which is true from a specific point of view) on the multiple service aspect of the hanger construction, a simplified adaptation of the same could, obviously, relate to merely two spaced members and a single movable jaw operating therebetween. However, this and other aspects of the concept will be clear from the description and the invention as claimed.

The body or plate is denoted as an entity by the numeral 4 and this may be generally rectangular and could, of course, be constructed of wood or any suitable rigid, light weight material. In practice, it will be of a size that it may be readily installed in a clothes closet (not shown). To this end, the corner portions of the board or body will be provided with holes, as at 6, to accommodate fasteners for angle brackets (not shown). In carrying out a preferred embodiment of the invention, the board is cut by sawing or otherwise to provide four spaced parallel slots 8 of equal length. The cutting of the slots also defines five elongated coplanar spaced parallel cooperating members 10. These members are connected to.- gether by the integrating end portion 12 which is in efiect a header connecting spaced parallel members at one end thereto.- As already touched upon, the novelty is thought of as having to do with a plurality of members or at least one pair of members which are denoted at the left, say in Fig. 1, and from which it will be seen that the slot 14 is closed at one end and fully open at 16 at the opposite end. Underlying each member 10 is a strip of rigid cardboard or equivalent compressed sheet material or even a lamination of wood, this being denoted by the numeral 18. It is commensurate in length with the body member and one longitudinal edge portion or half 20 projects beyond the abutment surface 22 so that it functions as a ledge. The surface 22 becoming an abutment, the opposed surface of the next adjacent member 10, that is, the surface denoted at 24, constitutes a relatively stationary jaw member. There is a third member which is arranged and operates between the two members 10, that is, the member denoted at 26, and this is a relatively narrow strip member which-is of a cross-section approximately equal to one-half the width of the slot 8. However, it is of a length greater than the length of the slot, and whether it is closed as seen at the left in Fig. 1 or open, as seen just to the right thereof, the end portion 28 extends beyond the open end 16 of the slot. This extending end portion provides a handle and makes it possible to shove the movable jaw member 26 in and out so that it will open and close in an obvious manner. One vertical or lengthwise surface of this member 26 abuts the abutment surface 22 when open, as shown, for example, in the drawing. When in this position, the jaw member rests atop the projecting ledge 20. Each movable jaw member as it is pushed in or out longitudinally with respect to the slot rides laterally across the slot and either advances toward and closes against the jaw surface 24, or recedes and moves away from it and toward the abutment surface 22. This is accomplished through the medium of shackling and hinging links in each of the constructions seen, for example, at the left in Fig. 3.

The U-shaped part is similar to a clevis and has a bight portion 31 and depending arm portions 32 and 34, one hinged to the member 10 and the other hinged to the movable jaw member 26. The arms or leg portions 32 and 34 are joined by the connecting link 36. having its end portions operating in clearance spaces provided therefor in the respective parts .10 and 26 and denoted respectively by the numerals 3 8 and 4% (Fig. 3). Thus, We have hinging and linking devices at the respective ends of the movable jaw members, and in this arrangement the user has at his disposal a plurality of individually usable hangers built into a single hanger device in a reliable, compact and convenient manner.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in .the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications .and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A garment hanger comprising a body havingat least one pair of coplanar spaced parallel members having a slot therebetween of a width to permit the cuff portions of the legs of a pair of trousers to be passed upwardly through and located for retentive suspension in a plane above said slot, the opposed and facing edge portions of the members which longitudinally border and define said slot providing first and second trousers contacting surfaces, the first surface functioning as a stationary jaw, the second surface providing an abutment, a third member coplanar with said first-named members hingedly linked to said body, substantially confined for operative movement in said slot and constituting a relatively movable jaw movable against the abutment when the jaws are spaced apart to assume their open positions and being bodily shiftable toward said stationary jaw surface to assume its trousers holding and suspension position.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 and wherein said third member is of a length greater than the length of the slot so that an end portion thereof constantly extends beyond the slot to function as an operating handle, said member being of a cross-section appreciablyless than the width of said slot.

3. The structure defined in claim 1 and wherein a sheet material lamination is afiixed to the bottom of the body member and has an edge portion underlying at least onehalf of the slot to cooperate with said slot and the abutment in providing a ledge, said ledge serving to assist in supporting the movable jaw member when it is in its closed position.

4. A garment hanger comprising a body having at least one pair of coplanar spaced parallel members having a slot therebetween of a width .to permit the cuff portions of 5 the legs of a pair of trousers to be passed upwardly through and located for retentive suspension in ,a plane above said slot, the opposed and facing edge portions of the members which longitudinally border and define said slot providing first and second trousers contacting surfaces, the first surface functioning as a stationary jaw, the second surface providing an abutment, a third member coplanar with said first-named members hingedly linked to said body, substantially confined for operative movement in said slot and constituting a relatively movable jaw movable against the abutment when the jaws are spaced apart to assume their open positions and being bodily shiftable toward said stationary jaw surface to assume its trousers holding and suspension position, the means for hinging the thirdmember comprising a U-shaped memher having a bight portion and a pair of lateral arm portions, said arm port-ions being connected together by a link, one arm portion being hingedly connected with the body member and the other arm portion being hingedly connected with a cooperating portion of the third memher.

,5. A garment hanger comprising a substantially rectangular body of wood or the like having holes at its corner portions to permittit to be appropriately erected for use in a clothes closet, said body being provided with a plurality of Spaced parallel slots opening through one edge of the body and having their opposite ends terminatingshort of an opposite edge of the body, said slots serving to define spaces and also a plurality of coplanar members, said members being paired and the existing slot thus provided between each adjacent pair of members being of a width suflicient to permit the cuff-equipped portions of the legs of a pair of trousers to be passed through and located for retentive suspension above the top of'said .slot, the opposed and facing edge portions of the members which longitudinally border and define said slot providing first and second surfaces, the first surface functioning as a stationary jaW, the second surface providing an abutment, a third member coplanar with said first-named members hingedly linked to said body, substantially confined for operative movement in said slot and constituting a relatively movable jaw, the latter being movable against the abutment when the jaws are spaced apart 'to assume their open positions and being bodily shiftable in a horizontal plane toward said stationary jaw surface to assume its holding and suspension position, said third member being .of a length greater than the length of the slot so that an end portion thereof constantly extends beyond the slot to function as an operating handle, said member being of a cross-section appreciably less than thewidth of said slot.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 457,190 Evans Aug. 4, 1891 1,704,609, Hurst s Mar. 5, 1929 1,992,356 Dary Feb. 26, 1935 2,427,385 Chesler Sept. 16, 194.7

FOREIGN PATENTS 437,463 Italy July 5 1948 

